Overture
by Wallflow3r1
Summary: What if Grady wasn't the end, but a whole new beginning?
1. Breaking Point

Daryl almost doesn't believe his eyes when he sees her. She's wearing that preppy yellow polo and white cardigan from the golf club, all stained with walker guts but she's still the loveliest thing he's ever seen. He never thought he'd see her again, chose to believe she was gone because Daryl Dixon isn't one for _hoping_. But there she is. Getting closer by the second.

There's a dreamlike quality about the moment when he sees her as she's backlit by the light from the windows, her hair shining like spun gold. But as she gets closer the dream twists into a nightmare. Her face is slashed with vicious red lines, freshly stitched and glaring against her milky skin.

The simmering rage in his chest boils over as he wonders which one of these fucks is responsible. His stomach drops like a stone when he registers that the pale, slumped body in the wheelchair she's pushing is Carol. There they are; the two people who care most about him in the world; maybe the only people who have ever had the patience to care about him at all.

There they are; wounded and captive. Their startling vulnerability pushes down the fear rising in his chest, twisting it into a sharp and volatile fury. She doesn't look at him. He watches as her darting eyes track the stern faced brunette in front of her, wary and haunted as though she's seen things in the time they've been apart.

Been _shown_ things, more like. The coil of his anger pulls a little tighter until it's straining. He's almost surprised when the brunette turns out to be Dawn, the bitch in charge of this shit show. He drags his eyes away from Beth with some effort to watch as this woman questions Rick, raising her chin in a show of confidence.

But that's all it is: a show.

Daryl sees right through her. He hears the tremble in her voice that she's trying to suppress. He can see it in her eyes that she's barely holding on by a thread. This is a woman who has been walked over too many times, seized power with both hands and will hold onto it at any cost.

Judging by the desperate faces behind her the cost is high and still rising. The tighter she holds on the more control slips from her grasp. The terror of being pushed aside is coming off of her in waves. This is a woman coming apart at the seams. She looks more scared than Beth does about how this will go down.

If the icy contempt in Beth's gaze when it swings to her is anything to go by, then she should be scared. The tightly wound coil twists tighter, bringing him close to breaking point.

"One of yours for one of mine," Dawn demands, positioning herself as the gatekeeper of this exchange.

"Move," Daryl barks as he shoves their first hostage forward harder than necessary.

Chest tight, he stomps forward and makes the exchange for Carol. When he looks at her and meets her beaten, muddled gaze he has to look away because the coil of his anger winds even tighter, and a tremor crawls up his spine. Daryl hasn't seen Carol look like that for a long time; since the last time they were in Atlanta, when her husband was still alive and throwing punches.

It's startling to see her revert back to that shell of a person, all of her strength drained. He thinks what kind of a person Dawn is to have taken that away from her. It's all he can do not to kill each and every one of these cops, to light this place up like a Christmas tree.

But that's not the play. His knuckles are bone white around the strap of his bow and a tremble works its way across his rigid shoulders. Daryl watches Rick walk the female cop forward for the second exchange. His jaw clenches at the way this Dawn drags Beth by the arm, making her stagger like a rag doll.

Once Beth passes the middle ground, he feels a wave of relief run through him, only to be quickly chased by a stab of something a lot like jealousy as he watches Rick cup Beth's skull and press a kiss to her hairline. Even if he was stood where Rick is now he knows he wouldn't have the nerve to touch her. Wonders if he could ever be so bold, now that he might have the chance to.

It's done.

People start to visibly relax and turn their separate ways until Dawn's voice cuts through the air like a knife.

"Now I just need Noah."

Silence.

For a split second nobody even breathes. After a moment he hears Rick trying to reason with her but he doesn't register the words or her responses because all of his attention is on Beth.

She's staring straight ahead and she looks like she's on the edge of something.

Out of the corner of his eye, Daryl sees Noah start to come forward. He feels his arm shoot out, shoving him back with the rest of their group where he belongs.

"He ain't stayin'," he growls, coming to stand with Rick.

"Then we don't have a deal," Dawn says in a voice that is an attempt at cutting. Daryl is close enough to hear the pitch of desperation and see her chin tremble, betraying her uncertainty.

"It's ok," Noah says, limping up to Rick's other side. As he does so Rick's jaw twitches with a growing frustration that mirrors Daryl's own.

"No," Rick puts a hand up to hold him back but he pushes forward.

"I got to do it," Noah says simply, pulling out his gun and passing it to Rick. His pupils are disappearing into the whites of his eyes but his voice is solid, resigned. Noah's head is bowed heavily like a noose hangs around it but he keeps dragging himself forward. This kid has guts. More guts than the woman in front of him who barely has control of her own breathing, let alone this place.

"It's not okay," he hears Beth say quietly from behind him, her voice like a scream with the volume turned down.

"It's settled," Dawn says, the corners of her mouth turning up, smug in her victory.

As Noah starts to walk away Beth suddenly rushes forward making Rick and Daryl spin, leaning towards her.

"Wait!" She pleads, wrapping her arms around Noah.

Daryl just stares, as Rick stares beside him, gut twisting as Noah forces a smile for Beth.

"It's ok," he murmurs as she embraces him, faking enough positivity in his voice that he's almost convincing.

Dawn watches them from where she's stood a short distance away. "I knew you'd be back," she says coldly, it's barely audible but Daryl catches it.

Beth's body goes rigid and she raises her head to look at Dawn. Daryl can't see her face from where he's stood but he watches her shoulders tense and imagines her face doing the same. As Beth and Noah part, Beth steps forward to stand eye to eye with Dawn as Noah shuffles back behind the cops. There are sirens in Daryl's heart as he watches Dawn's lip tremble under Beth's gaze.

"I get it now," Beth whispers, her voice drowning in raw emotion.

Dawn stares back blankly as Beth straightens up ever so slightly like she's made a decision. Daryl doesn't blink as he watches Beth's jaw clench too tightly like his own jaw is clenching, and something clicks into place.

There's a flash of metal from under Beth's sleeve and Dawn reaches for her gun.

Then a gunshot rattles through his bones and bounces off the walls.

Hot blood splatters across his face.

He's surprised when he discovers his arm stretched out in front of him, and realises that the shot came from his gun.

The sound of the gunshot rings in his ears as Beth stumbles back and collides with his chest. Keeping his gun arm up, his other arm wraps around Beth's waist and holds her steady against him. They're close enough that he can feel her heart pounding too fast like a bird, through her back and into his chest.

The corridor fills with the sound of guns being cocked on both sides.

Daryl yanks Beth by a bruising grip on her arm and twists his body so that she's shielded by his broad shoulders. The only thing between them and the huddle of trigger happy cops is the dead body of their fallen comrade who he just killed. They didn't come here to start a bloodbath and the realisation sinks in that he may have just got them all killed. He was reckless, acting on impulse and not thinking past protecting Beth. He knows it was stupid just as he knows that he'd do it again in a heartbeat

He feels Rick at his back as he stares down the barrel of a shaking gun, Beth's hot breath streaming across his bicep in shallow pants.

"No! Stop! It's over!" A female cop cries, holding her arms out, "It was just about her."

The cops on either side of her freeze, and he can feel the uncertainty palpable in the air that surrounds them.

" _Stand down_ ," the woman grates out, head spinning as she locks eyes with each of her people.

Slowly, the cops start to holster their weapons, their eyes darting around warily. Daryl's eyes drop to the ground in front of them, watching as blood rapidly pools around Dawn's dead body. Noah stands beside her, looking on in disbelief.

"You can stay," he hears someone say. "We're surviving here."

Beth's hand comes to rest on his arm, and he realises he's holding onto her so tight it must be painful. He lets go and jerks backwards as his breath comes out in ragged pants. He almost collides with Rick, colt held loosely at his side and his neck painted with Dawn's blood.

Rick's hand grabs the back of Daryl's neck and pulls him in close. When their eyes meet Daryl doesn't attempt to hide the way he shakes as the spent adrenaline leaves his body. His breath leaves him in a gush as Rick leans their foreheads together, forcing Daryl to meet his intense blue gaze.

"You did good, Daryl," Rick says quietly, holding Daryl's eyes. "It was the right move. It was the _only_ move."

Daryl bites his top lip, staring back at Rick with flickering eyes for a moment, then nods and looks away. When his eyes swing back to Beth she's staring down at Dawn's motionless body, her eyes blank and her chest rising and falling a little too fast. Daryl considers going over to her, but before he can find the momentum, Noah is cupping her elbow and moving her away.

With a shaky exhale, Daryl straightens and forces one foot in front of the other, following Sacha and Tyrese through the double doors.

It's only when the doors swing behind him, putting some distance between them and the cops, that Daryl reluctantly shoves his gun into the front of the jeans. His nerves are still a jangling mess under his skin as he grinds his teeth down to the enamel.

They're halfway down the corridor when Daryl feels Beth's fingers curve around his bicep. When he looks down at Beth and she looks up he's shocked by the spark he feels in his chest. It's the first time she's looked at him since the funeral home. Since they sat eating peanut butter with their fingers by candlelight.

Since she blinked up at him owlishly, staring into his soul as a soft 'oh' fell from her lips. Right before he lost her, before they took her right in front of him. Like she so very nearly let them take her from him again just now.

He's trying so hard to keep himself together even with his nerves shot to shit and his body shaking with spent adrenaline, but when he looks at her it all comes apart. The tightly wound coil of his anger snaps.

"Daryl, I wanted to thank-"

"What the FUCK were you thinkin'?" He snarls, rounding on her so suddenly she takes a step back, eyes growing huge in her flushed face. "I thought you were smart but you really are just a _dumb kid,"_ he hisses, looming over her and getting in her face. Beth doesn't flinch as he jabs a finger at her, but something in her gaze hardens at his words.

He hears Carol's wheelchair roll to a stop and knows the rest of the group have stopped to watch his outburst.

"What the hell were you gonna do with the world's tiniest pair of scissors? Huh?" He spits. He can hear accent getting thicker as his temper flares and his face grows hot like he's been drinking.

"I was thinking about somebody other than myself, you should try it!" Beth throws back. Her fingers clench and unclench into fists at her sides.

"Are we back on the farm? You so quick to throw your life away again?" Daryl shouts, stepping deeper into her space. Beth stands her ground and his chest brushes hers with each deep inhale.

When their eyes catch he freezes.

His stomach lurches with guilt. There are standing tears in her eyes and she rapidly tries to blink them away but she doesn't let them fall. As he drags in a breath shame washes over him and floods his chest. Silence hangs heavily between them, pervading and filling the entire corridor until it's almost suffocating.

For a split second the red mist clears as he locks eyes with Beth's bright blue pools and a defeated sigh falls out of him. Her eyes soften as they search his face and his mouth falls open – but then he glances over her shoulder and his scowl deepens.

He feels the eyes of the group drilling into him from all angles; seeing him for the red neck asshole he always was, and the hurt in Beth's eyes tells him he still is.

In a swirl of hurt and anger, he turns and storms away, violently kicking a gurney out of his path. The last thing he hears is a sob tear its way out of Beth, cutting through him like the lash of a belt.


	2. Broken Glass

The sound of mental clattering on the hard floor makes Beth jump and the standing tears in her eyes start to fall. Once they start she can't stop them, and great heaving sobs follow.

They won't stop because it suddenly hits her that _she almost died_ and the realisation jars her into a state of near hysteria. Her lip trembles, her jaw shudders as the tears cascade down her numb cheeks. She can't shake the image of Dawn reaching for her gun from her mind. It's stuck playing on repeat in slow motion. In that moment her heart stopped. She was dead.

Would have been, if it weren't for Daryl.

She watched his gun come up in front of her, Dawn's head explode around his bullet, and then felt the solid comfort of his chest at her back. His forearm caged her in so tightly her lungs strained for breath, but she didn't mind it. It was comforting knowing he had her, and if he had her, she was _safe._

Now he can't even look at her.

Another sob bursts from her throat and she feels a hand wrap around her forearm. It's only then that she realises her entire body is shaking as the hand serves to steady her arm. Through blurred eyes she makes out Carol looking back at her, eyes alight with sympathy as she gives her arm a reassuring squeeze. Behind her Rick shifts uncomfortably as another sob rattles Beth's tiny frame.

"Hey," Noah soothes, huge palm coming to rest between her shoulder blades, "It's ok. She can't hurt you anymore."

The way Carol's eyes hold hers tells Beth she knows her tears having nothing to do with Dawn and everything to do with someone else she just lost.

Beth bites her trembling lip and drags in a stuttering breath, willing herself together with every fibre of her being.

"Everyone's tired," Rick says to the group. When his gaze drifts back to Beth her cheeks grow hot, feeling every bit the overtired, blubbering child she must appear to be.

"We'll stay in one of these wings tonight. Figure out our next move tomorrow," He jerks his head down the hallway, eyes scanning the surrounding area thoughtfully, as though taking it in for the first time. _Electricity_. Untouched by walkers. She can see him registering the value of those things and an idea starting to form.

"Ward twenty two hasn't been touched, all the beds are still made up," Noah says, stepping forward.

"Lead the way," Rick nods, hand coming to rest on Noah's shoulder. The simple gesture tells Beth so much. That Rick trusts him. That he's earnt his place in the group in the short time he's been with them. She wonders what he did to prove himself as an ally. Or was he just Noah; kind and true. Maybe Rick isn't as far gone as he looks.

When Noah passes her and limps down the corridor with purpose, the group follows him.

Beth rubs the heels of her hands into her eyes until they ache, scrubbing the last of her tears away like they have no business being there in the first place. _Because they don't._

 _I don't cry anymore, Daryl._

...

Once they enter the ward, the group busies themselves with making camp. Beth joins them in picking the room apart for things they can use, finding comfort in the familiarity of the process and the people, moving together like a well-oiled machine. Noah is the busiest of the group, digging out extra blankets and pillows, he even manages to find a stash of chocolate pudding from somewhere. It's not long before Rick is ducking out through the doors where Sasha is standing watch. To find Daryl, Beth thinks, and feels her stomach tighten.

"Noah told me what you did."

Beth turns to where Carol is sitting on one of the hospital beds. Despite the exhaustion evident on her face, she proffers a small smile, "Thank you."

Rolling a shoulder, Beth comes over to sit beside her on the bed, "It's what anyone would have done."

Carol takes her hand and gives it a meaningful squeeze that makes her chest ache.

"It was brave," She tells her firmly, then studies Beth's face a moment, "There's something different about you. You're not the same girl from the prison."

Beth swallows under her scrutiny, breathing deeply.

"No, I'm not," She answers with conviction that straightens her spine. _Neither are you._

Carol continues to hold her gaze for a moment before nodding and giving her hand another squeeze.

"Daryl didn't mean what he said. You just scared him is all," She says softly.

Beth blinks at her, " _I_ scared _him?"_

A wry smile works its way across Carol's face, "You did."

Her mouth falls open but no words come out because she doesn't have any. Her forehead creases as Carol's softens.

"It took a lot out of him losing you on the road," Carol says, her eyes filling with something like sadness, "and then he almost lost you _again_ back in that hallway."

"He didn't..." Beth protests.

"I know," Carol cuts her off and gives her hand one last, firm squeeze before releasing it, "Just go easy on him ok?"

Speechless, Beth nods weakly and pushes herself off the bed.

 _Go easy on him._

Her stomach curls itself into a ball as she feels the implication in those words, as though she has some kind of power over Daryl she might misuse. As though has any power over him at all.

...

Daryl's anger is circling the drain as he descends the steps of Grady Memorial Hospital, quickly being replaced by a steady stream of guilt pouring down his spine. He can still see the tears pooling in Beth's eyes as she defiantly refused to let him see them fall. That girl is so damn stubborn. He can still hear the sob that cut through him when her resolve broke, ringing in his ears and rattling in his chest.

His stomach is busy tying itself in knots as he fumbles for a cigarette to steady his nerves when he sees them. Glenn, Maggie and the others heading towards the entrance with their weapons raised. Maggie looks tense, bottom lip caught between her teeth and she doesn't relax when she sees him. Nothing in his furrowed brow and tight jaw does anything to reassure her, instead her eyes widen and her mouth falls open, chin trembling.

"Where is she?" She asks, voice breathless and wrecked with emotion as her darting eyes search helplessly.

"She's inside. She's ok."

The voice that speaks from behind him is Rick's. Daryl feels a flutter of anxiety that he didn't hear him approach as he watches all of the tension leave Maggie's brow, eyes filling with tears of pure joy.

"Oh, thank God," She whispers as she crosses the distance between them, "Thank you, Rick."

"Not me," He can hear Rick shake his head as he comes to stand behind him, "Thank Daryl, he saved her. She's alive 'cause a him."

Daryl bows his head as Rick's hand lands on the cradle of his shoulder.

Maggie wraps him in a bone crushing hug that he can hardly stand when all he wants is to be alone and smoke a damn cigarette.

"Thank you, thank you," Maggie gushes and when she kisses his cheek quickly he feels hot tears spilling from her eyes.

She races up the steps, followed closely by Glenn who pats him on the shoulder and gives him a small, relieved smile as he passes.

Luckily, Abraham, Eugene, Tara and Rosita are content to just nod as they trail behind.

With a shaky exhale, Daryl sinks down onto the steps, pulling a bent cigarette out of his pocket and not bothering to straighten it before wrapping his lips around the filter. As he takes a deep, stale lungful of tobacco he feels Rick sit beside him. The rush of nicotine floods his nervous system, giving him a glorious moment of respite where everything stops and he's only aware of his head spinning. It passes all too quickly.

"This place," Rick says and Daryl can hear the contemplation in his voice, "They've got electricity, food, medicine."

Daryl takes another deep drag of his cigarette, chasing another head rush.

"They've got problems," Daryl rasps on his next smoky exhale.

"They do," Rick agrees, clasping his hands together between his knees, "But I think you just took out the biggest one."

Something rattles in his chest, teeth flattening the filter of his cigarette as he relives the moment Dawn's blood splattered across his face. How it must still be there now. He doesn't remember pulling the trigger or deciding to do so, it happened without conscious thought, a reflex. His gut churns at what would have happened if he hadn't, bile climbs his throat at the thought of Beth's blood splattering his face instead.

He can feel Rick's eyes on the side of his face. Decidedly doesn't turn to meet them, takes another slow pull on his cigarette.

"We need this," Rick says quietly, "Judith would be safe here."

Daryl huffs bitterly, "For how long?"

"For now," Rick admits, turning his head to catch Daryl's gaze and hold it for a moment, "Now's all we've got anymore."

Daryl sighs and nods, "The boy and the baby, they deserve a roof, I guess."

Rick nods, pushing himself up. His eyes climb the hospital building, face set with steely determination, before he turns back to Daryl.

"We'll make it work. And if they can't make it... then we'll just take this place."

...

Being reunited with those she hasn't seen since the prison is almost more than Beth can bear. Her heart feels fit to burst and her cheeks ache from smiling. It's not five minutes before Maggie is fussing her, asking when she last ate and demanding to know what happened to her face.

Carol saves her, interrupting and asking Beth if she can get them some water. She's on her feet and out of the ward before Maggie can protest, and moving too fast for Noah to follow her.

Pushing through the doors to the stairwell at speed, she comes into contact with something firm that brings her grinding to a halt. _Someone_.

"Daryl," She gasps when she blinks and finds him staring back at her with all the intensity of the sea.

His position on the step below brings them almost face to face, close enough for Beth to smell the cigarette he just smoked on his exhale.

Beth's breath catches in her throat as his eyes hold hers, impossibly bright even in the dimly lit stairwell.

"M'sorry," He rumbles, tearing through the heavy silence between them.

"I know. It's ok," She says, tone hushed as though he were a wild animal she doesn't want to spook.

"It's not," He says, looking down and away, head bowed in shame and Beth's fingers twitch at her side with the urge to reach out and comfort him.

He drags his eyes back up to hers, "I'm sorry for what happened out there."

His eyes flicker, straining with emotion and the urge to look away again, but he doesn't.

Beth frowns, "That wasn' your fault."

He does look away then, shaking his head and twisting his mouth, thrumming with self-directed anger.

"I told you to go out on that road, if I'd kept you close... maybe you wouldn't have been taken. Wouldn't have had to go through all this," He waves a hand at the doors behind her that lead back into the hospital.

She inhales slowly and deeply, watching as he catches a nail between his teeth.

"Maybe I'd've been eaten by a walker. Maybe we both would have," Beth shrugs, "You tried. That's all anyone can do."

His shoulders sag under the weight of the memory. How long ago was it? A few days? A week? She doesn't know anymore. Time gets twisted when you live from one moment to the next.

"I ran all night, Beth," Daryl whispers, his voice cracking with emotion as he looks up at her like a child pleading for forgiveness, "I ran after that car till the sun came up and my legs wouldn't move no more."

Beth's eyes flare as she imagines Daryl chasing the car that took her.

"You did that for me?" She whispers back in disbelief, her heart skipping several beats,

"Why?"

The question hangs heavily between them for a moment, his eyes burning into hers like he wants to say something but _can't._

Feeling drawn to him as though by a force beyond her understanding, Beth sways forward, getting right in his face. His hands come up to catch her by the arms. But instead of pushing her away like she expects, he pulls her to him and their mouths collide _._

For a moment his soft lips press against hers, moving insistently as they steal the air from her lungs, making her head spin. Her lips part on a gasp as his rough beard burns her skin and his hot tongue flicks into her mouth for just a second, wet and questing. Then, just as suddenly, he's gone.

Lurching forward, Beth's eyes snap open to find Daryl staring back at her as he pulls away. His lips are parted, swollen pink and glistening, eyes drowning in panic as he stumbles backwards.

"Beth, I…" He gropes for words, his face stricken and mirroring the shock that has her in a state of total paralysis. She's frozen; brain throwing out white noise and refusing to respond as she watches him take another clumsy step.

" _Shit_. M'sorry," He grunts. Face bled white with fear, he turns and disappears down the stairwell.

As the door slams shut beneath her with a vehement shudder, Beth brings her fingers up to trace her tingling lips.

 _Oh_


	3. Scars are souvenirs you never lose

Lips tingling and heart a flutter, Beth makes her way to the kitchen on autopilot. She finds a tray and two jugs, and goes about filling them at the sink in a daze.

The skin around her mouth throbs from the scratch of his beard when their faces collided so suddenly. The taste of him still lingers on her tongue as she slides it across her bottom lip; rolling his taste around her mouth, both savouring it and committing it to memory.

Of all the things she thought might happen today, Daryl Dixon kissing her wasn't one of them.

 _What does it mean? Was it just a kiss, or something more?_

She hears her sister's voice in her head. _When a boy kisses you it means he likes you, Bethy._

But Daryl isn't a boy. The way her skin still tingles from the burn of his beard is evidence of that.

She's never been kissed like that before. Never so desperate and insistent, as though he was trying to hold onto her, like she might otherwise slip away.

 _It took a lot out of him losing you on the road,  
_  
Carol's words pull at something in her chest.

 _and then he almost lost you again back in that hallway_.

Was this a reaction to that? Was he just letting off steam, caught up in the moment?

She's pulled back to the present by the feel of cold water running over her hand as the jug overflows.

Beth shuts the water off and sets the jug down on the tray. Her feet find their way back to the ward and back to her family, while her head remains somewhere else entirely.

... 

The sun is hanging low in the sky when Rick returns. He has Michonne, Carl and a man by the name of Father Gabriel with him and looks much less geared up for a fight than when he left. Beth doesn't miss the way his eyes scan the room quickly and then again more carefully when they don't find Daryl. Her mouth twitches and her insides flutter with a mix of guilt and anxiety at his absence and her part in that.

Carl is halfway across the room when Beth catches sight of the baby strapped to his chest and she lets out an excited gasp.

 _Judith. Judith is alive!_

A grin splits her face as she excitedly crosses the room to meet them. Carl's smile mirrors hers as he pulls away the covers and unfastens the baby, holding her out to Beth's outstretched arms instinctively.

Judith turns her head and stops when she sees Beth. She stares for a moment, big brown eyes studying Beth's face. Her gaze darts between Beth's eyes and her scars before lingering on the crimson gash on her cheek. Beth's heart plummets through the balls of her feet as Judith's face begins to scrunch in on itself. The baby pushes out a whine, turns and buries her face in her brother's chest. Carl's mouth falls open in shock, his hand coming up to rub Judith's back, making soothing shushing noises as she burrows into his embrace.

"She's... really tired," Carl offers awkwardly.

Beth nods and bites her lips, not trusting herself to speak as her heart rattles in her chest. She takes a step backwards as Judith continues to pull away from her. The sound of Judith's cries and knowing she's the cause hurts more than anything in the world ever could. Beth couldn't count the nights she stayed up with that little girl when it was only her melodic lullabies that would sooth her to sleep. When her face was the one Judith would look for, eyes lighting up when she found her, with arms outstretched. Not now, not anymore and it twists in her chest like a knife. She expected it from the others; the first time they saw her at least, they might look at her with pity or disgust. But something hurts so much more about it being _Judith_. About her gaze being stripped of love and replaced with fear.

Beth forces her mouth into a tight smile before she hastily moves away. She's making a beeline for the main doors when a hand on her arm stops her.

"Where are you going?" Maggie asks, all but demands, bending her neck to catch Beth's gaze.

"I'm just goin' to the toilet," Beth lies, trying not to squirm under the intense concern in her sister's searching eyes, "I won't be long, okay?"

Maggie takes a hesitant step back, nodding reluctantly as she watches Beth walk away.

 _..._

Outside the hospital, the sun is starting to set and paint the sky in warm hues as Daryl sinks back down onto the steps. He lifts a cigarette to his lips but doesn't light it. Doesn't intend to. Doesn't want to fill his mouth with the taste of stale tobacco. He's content rolling another taste around on his tongue. Well, content might be a stretch. His nerves are shot to shit again, sat thrumming on those steps like his brother when he was strung out on meth.

He sits there until long after his heart stops racing. Contemplates staying there as look out all night but thinks better of it. Knows Rick wouldn't like it if he did. That he wants them all together, now that they finally are all together again. Knows he's right too. He's annoying like that. Daryl waits until the sun in sinking down towards the skyline to drag himself up the steps and back inside.

As he rounds the corner to the ward, his breath catches in his throat when he finds Beth stood in the otherwise empty corridor. She's looking out of the window, watching the descending sun. It's kissing the skyline now, emitting a warm glow that catches on her hair, making it glimmer gold and casting her face in deep, bronze shadows.

Even as his heart begins to thunder afresh in his chest, his feet lead him towards her, drawn into her orbit.

She turns her head at the sound of his approaching footsteps and their eyes catch for a half a heartbeat before she returns her gaze to the setting sun.

Just enough time for him to glimpse the torrent of sadness swirling behind her eyes. He notes the way her shoulders are hunched and her arms are curled around her ribcage. It grates at something inside him. She shouldn't look sad; not her, not ever. His gut pulls tight. Is it 'cause of what he did? His jaw tightens, worrying his teeth together. His hand comes up to hold the strap of his bow, mirroring her body language as he curls in on himself. He draws in a tight breath before forcing himself to speak.

"Why aren't you in there with the others?" He asks. The voice that comes out is rough from dehydration and he instantly clears his throat.

Beth doesn't respond straight away and for a moment he doesn't think she's going to. Then her mouth tightens sourly.

"'Cause Judith is scared of my face," she answers without turning to look at him.

Daryl's chest aches as her lip trembles and she catches it between her teeth in an attempt to still it. He watches as tears pool in her eyes and she fights those back too. Holds the surge of pain inside her with visible effort.

Then she turns and her eyes lock with his and he sees the palpable anguish that mars her face. Her face which is still beautiful even with the scars; would be even if it was covered with them.

He lifts his head to meet her gaze full on. Daryl Dixon doesn't make a habit of looking people full in the face, has spent a lot of his life avoiding doing so. But he wants to look at hers now. Needs her to know that he wants to and no amount of scars will change that. He holds her gaze, there's a beat and then she stops holding on.

Her shoulders sag and she lets the tears fall from her eyes as a wounded cry escapes her lips.

" _Girl_ ," he utters under his breath, his arm reaching out on its own and crushing her against his chest. He holds her to him so tightly he feels her shoulders shake as she lets it all out, his shirt soaking up her tears and muffling her sobs.

After a moment, her sobs slow to a sniffle and he feels her straighten in his arms. He loosens his hold as her hands come up to wipe the tears from under her eyes angrily.

She sighs and he feels her hot breath stream across his collar bone.

"It doesn't matter."

Her voice is small and defeated. Two things which Beth Greene is not, but has been reduced to, and that makes his gut flare with anger.

"It does," He growls.

 _It does matter._

His hand comes up to cup her jaw and tilt her face up, thumb softly stroking just under the scar on her cheek _._

He doesn't know what makes him bold enough to touch her like that. It just feels right.

She stares back at him, expressive blue eyes flaring bright with surprise. Her lips part and his eyes are drawn to the movement. Then all of a sudden her hands are fisting in his shirt, she's closing the distance between them, and pressing her lips hard against his.

Her lips are soft and warm against his, her tongue tracing the line of his mouth, asking for permission to enter. The flicker of wet heat sends a shiver down his spine. His hand slides from her jaw to cradle the back of her skull, fingers curling in her soft hair.

The abrupt sound of footsteps fast approaching causes them to spring apart in an instant.

Daryl's heart is pounding hard against the back of his ribs as his eyes quickly zero in on Rick making his way down the corridor towards them.

 _Did he see?_

Daryl follow Rick's intense gaze to Beth beside him, her cheeks flaring pink and lip caught between her teeth.

"You alright?" Rick asks, tilting his head at her, concern rippling his blue eyes.

Beth swallows loudly before nodding enthusiastically, "I'm fine."

Rick holds her gaze, searching her face for a moment before turning to Daryl.

"I'm gonna go up to the nursery. Noah said the cops haven't touched a lot the hospital," He says, eyes narrowing with focus, "I'm hopin' there'll be some formula or somethin' for Judith."

Rick drags a hand across his bearded jaw, drawing in a deep breath and letting it out wearily. He looks the kind of tired that sleep can't fix.

"I'll go," Daryl grunts, "You stay here, talk to the group."

"I'll go too."

Beth's voice surprises them both.

Rick swings his gaze to Beth, narrowing his eyes at her.

"I know my way around this place an' I know what Judith needs," She says quickly.

Rick frowns, "Maggie ain't happy 'bout you bein' out here never mind trapsin' around the hospital."

Daryl hears Beth sigh under her breath and glances down to catch the exasperated look she gives Rick.

His frown softens slightly, "An' when I go back in there what am I s'posed to tell your sister?"

Beth bristles, "Tell her we all have jobs to do."

Rick doesn't look convinced, mouth twisting to the side.

Daryl watches as frustration furrows Beth's brow and pushes out the dark red scar on her otherwise smooth, pale forehead, tugging at the fresh stitches. He sees the way she pushes it down with a deep breath and releases it with a determined sigh.

"Tell her I'm with Daryl, then she'll know I'm safe," She says softly.

Daryl's breath hitches, fingers tightening on the strap of his bow.

Rick's eyes flick over to connect with his in a wordless exchange. There's a beat and then Daryl rolls his shoulder. This seems to satisfy Rick and he dips his chin.

"Alright," He says, hand coming up to rest on Daryl's shoulder for a moment.

Pulling his colt out from its holster, he holds the gun out to Beth, "You be careful now."

She takes it by the grip and nods.

"Lead the way, girl," Daryl murmurs, and follows as Beth heads down the corridor, floor stained pink by the last glow of the sunset.


End file.
